Licensing board slow to provide medical marijuana regulations – WZZM

The medical marijuana law passed by the Legislature last year that regulates and taxes the multi-million dollar industry created three categories of growers. (Photo: Eric Engman, AP)

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. – The state of Michigan has been working on strategic guidelines for business owners to apply for a medical marijuana license to operate. There’s just one problem: no one knows what those guidelines are.

This comes after Governor Snyder signed three bills last year, paving the way for a framework for the state’s medical marijuana program.

“LARA has released rules here and there just little pieces starting in August, they started releasing information but there’s a lot that’s still missing,” Canna Media Works owner Jamie Cooper said.

Tuesday, the licensing board had an item on their agenda to discuss those rules and regulations.

“This is the moment, we’ve all been waiting for where the regulations will be released and we’ll have a clear picture of what the state is expecting from those that are seeking licenses,” Cooper said.

However, the board didn’t disclose any of them.

“People that do these things have to do it right, correctly with the law that’s been written. It’s not always something you can make a copy of and get done, but they are working hard on that. I believe before the end of the week you’re probably going to see something come out,” said Cooper.

“It was a huge shock for us all because we were expecting this to be the meeting that has the most information that we’ve seen yet” a Medical Marijuana Licensing board member said.

December 15 is when the application process opens.

“How many people are actually going to be able to pull all of that together in two weeks time?” Cooper asked.